A three-day Conservation Assessment and Management Plan (CAMP) workshop was held in Pokhara during Jan 18-20, 2001 in order to carry out a threat assessment of 51 medicinal plants species of Nepal and to prepare a priority list. Organized jointly by International Development Research Center (IDRC), HMG Ministry of Forests, Soil Conservation (MFSC) and the Medicinal Plants Specialist Group of IUCN-The World Conservation Union, the workshop made assessment and recommendations assigning taxa to new IUCN Red List Category of Threat. The new IUCN Red List categories include Extinct (EX); Extinct in the Wild (EW); Critically Endangered (CR); Endangered (EN); Vulnerable (VU); Near Threatened (NR); Data Deficient (DD); and Not Evaluated (NE). The workshop also made recommendations for research and management activities to contribute to the taxon's conservation.

Ban Udyam/New ERA under the Environment and Forest Enterprise Activity (EFEA) organized a national

workshop on Non-Timber Forest Products: Jadibuti on Feb 22, 2001 in Kathmandu. A total of 73 participants participated in three groups i.e. Production, Value addition/processing and Marketing. The three papers on Policy and Regulatory Environment in Relation to Jadibuti production in Nepal, Value Addition of Non Timber Forest Products Jadibuti in Nepal and Jadibuti Marketing and Policy Issues in Nepal were presented in the workshop.

Since its inception in August 2000, the members of Himali Jadibuti Sarokar Samuha (HJSS) were brought together for the first time on August 16, 2001 to discuss on different aspects of its organization. NTFP issues as have emerged in various contexts of western hills of Nepal. Besides, ANSAB Coordinator, the HJSS members from across District Development Committee (6), FECOFUN (5), and Members of Parliament (2) from Bajhang and five districts of Karnali zone participated the meeting. Coordinated and supported by ANSAB, this HJSS meeting was facilitated by Hari Dhungana.

Being the first meeting, HJSS organizational framework, structure, roles and organizational nature were discussed. Three tiers were agreed on within the organization: general members, executive committee, and steering committee. Besides, district branches could also be established as per district needs. It was also agreed that other Hill districts of Nepal might later be added in the member list, as they would have willingness and commitment to join HJSS in future.

This meeting deliberated on a variety of burning issues of NTFP sub-sector, and made certain resolutions.The meeting handed over a recommendation thereof to the Director General of Department of Forest on issues of royalty of yartsha gumba (Cordyceps sinensis) and lifting the ban of kutki (Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora).

A two day (Aug 17-18, 2001) Review and Planning Workshop was conducted by ANSAB with respect to its Enterprise Based Biodiversity Conservation Project at Piparia, Banke. Over 35 participants from Department of Forests (DoF) and District Forest Offices, District Development Committees, Federation of Community Forestry Users, Nepal (FECOFUN), local partner NGOs and ANSAB were gathered to review the activities and outcomes of the project in its second year.

The workshop also provided a medium for a direct

interface of DoF officials represented by the Director General Mr. Divya Dev Bhatta and local stakeholders, It was realized that DDC, FECOFUN, and local NGO should openly discuss on policy and regulatory changes needed in NTFP sub-sector. There was increased realization that local stakeholders, primarily the DDCs, should consolidate their efforts for the development of NTFP resources. Other project stakeholders, including district forest offices, FECOFUN, DDCs also identified some of the actions necessary towards enterprise based biodiversity conservation. The project stakeholders recognized mutually complementary roles and agreed on to act in a collaborative environment.

ANSAB organized a biodiversity monitoring training in August 19 - 21, 2002 for its staff members as well as to the staff from partner NGOs. Over the past few years, ANSAB has worked in developing methodology in which monitoring systems of key biodiversity stakeholders are integrated and up-scaled. It focuses on planning and implementing actions that conserve biodiversity and ensure reasonable returns out of the resource conservation efforts.

The training was instrumental to enhance understanding of the participants in the processes of monitoring activities in a multi-stakeholder environment, and to adapt management actions based on results of monitoring.

A five-day training on NTFP Management and Marketing was organized by ANSAB during September 7-11, 2001 in Taplejung. This training was organized with a view to enhance general understanding of different stakeholders and SNV partners in Mechi hills on matters such as familiarizing with NTFP, NTFP use, management and marketing, and rules and regulations associated to NTFP sub-sector. Participated by 22 members from diverse entities including District Development Committee (DDC), Village Development Committee (VDC), FUGs and SNV, the training was instrumental also to sharing of experiences on different issues and prospects associated to use and management of NTFPs in Taplejung district as well as elsewhere.

Regional Community Forestry Training Center (RECOFTC) in collaboration with a host of other organizations organized an International Conference on Advancing Community Forestry during September 25-28, 2001 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Divided into eight

parallel sessions conference was participated by professionals and workers from 29 countries across Asia, Africa, North America and Europe.

One of the sessions in the conference, Income Generation and Livelihoods, was concerned with processes and mechanisms in generating incomes and securing livelihoods through promotion of community based forest enterprises (CBFEs). Facilitated by NNN members Mr. Bhishma P. Subedi and Mr. Kenneth Nicholson, some forty participants of the session reviewed income generation initiatives and developed a framework for further action for the Asia Pacific region.

A National Workshop on Community-Based Approaches to Conservation of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) in Nepal was held during October 19-20, 2001 at Institute of Forestry (IOF), Pokhara. Organized by Department of Plant Resources (DPR), IOF, WWF Nepal Program in collaboration with Ethnobotany Society of Nepal and ANSAB, the workshop had a main objective to learn about and review community-based approaches to conservation and management of medicinal and aromatic plants in Nepal. In addition, it was to learn about useful concepts and methods in that field, as well as to identify difficulties, gaps and opportunities for future work. This workshop was an excellent opportunity for organizations and individuals working in the field of Ethnobotany and MAPs to develop partnership and networking. The workshop made the following recommendations : Integrate health care and MAP conservation and aspects of modern medical system (such as immunization) in the local system through training of local healers; Empower local users full rights to handle their MAP resources including the right to deny access to outsiders; Respect intellectual property rights (IPR) at all levels of research and development;Develop, strengthen existing market and price information system and Carry out inventory, monitoring and market survey of most traded species; Formulate a separate and pragmatic policy on MAPs of Nepal through a bottom up planning with greater participation of local resource users; Coordinate efforts in the MAPs sector through formation of a high level autonomous board called Nepal Jadibuti Development Board including relevant government organizations, NGOs, institutes and other stakeholders.

NNN long realized the need to develop a field manual in Nepali medium so as to address the needs of field level facilitators to enable them provide training on market analysis and enterprise development to communities so as to foster community based forest enterprises. It was recognized that earlier publications though good treatise in their subject matter, it still needed to be complemented with components that provide sufficient insights to aspects such as analysis of market as a prerequisite to enterprise development. In addition, publications are either in English that is mostly the case or are too academic to suit to training packages.

The meeting of NNN Advisory Group (NNN-AG), now replaced as NNN sharing meeting, formed a task force to initiate developing Nepali manual on enterprise development with particular emphasis on Marketing Analysis and Development (MA & D). A total of three task force meetings were held in this regard. Based on recommendations of NNN Task Force, ANSAB organized a workshop on Write-up of Nepali Training Manual for Enterprise Development during November 20-21, 2001 in Kathmandu.

Participated by 15 participants from diverse organizations, this gave specific details for the development of training manual. Natural Resource Management, Marketing, Social and Institutional and Technology were the four themes identified by the participants.

An annual workshop on MIS was organized on December 18, 2001 to review the progress made in 2001 . The workshop was successful in soliciting feed back/ suggestions from the participants on how to go ahead in future to make this system more useful, efficient, user-friendly and interactive. A total of 26 participants from various organizations representing GOs, NGOs, INGOs, Bilateral agencies, Journalists, NTFP traders and Manufacturers attended the workshop. Participants were found to have deep interest on NTFP marketing, technology, policies, resources and production management related issues.